Lubricator.



PATENTED 1 111.31, 19051 w. 11. 1 11. THOMPSON.

LUBRIUATOR. APPLIUATION FILED MAY 31, 1902.

2 sums-sum 1.

WITNESS-ES- QINVENTQRS.

No. 781,111. PATBNTED JAN. 31, 1905.

v WIH. & R, THOMPSON.

LUBRIGATOR.

LPPLIOATION FILED MAY 31, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET}.

WITNESSES! I v INVENTURS.

.W WHY Maw 5012/. W I 902.0 I?

WILLIAM HENRY THOMPSON Iatented January 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

AND ROBERT THOMPSON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,111, dated January 31, 1905.

1. 1 111011111111 filed May 31,1902. Serial No. 109,687.

31, 1901,) of which the following is a specifi-.

' cation.

- lubricant is contained within a cylinder and forced through communicating pipes or the like, with the parts to be lubricated, by means of a piston, motion being imparted to the piston from a moving part of the engine by means of the fluid-pressure operating the engine either directly or through suitable red ucing-'gear.

The object of the presentinvention is to generally improve the efiiciency of such lubricators andparticularly the improvement of the type described and claimed in the United States Patent No. 6041, 132, dated May 17 1898, granted to us. 1

According to the present invention a lubricator is so constructed as to not only allow of the operative reducing-gearing, when such is used, being withdrawn from the cylinder without disturbing or disconnecting it from the automatic actuating mechanism, but also to effectually prevent the lubricant from being withdrawn from the communicating pipes when refilling the cylinder with lubricant and that without the use of ball-valves or the like, as described in our prior patent. In the present invention provision is also made for preventing the piston rotating on its shaft in a simple and efiicient manner, and, further, instead of operating the actuating mechanism, as described in our prior patent, by means of a shaft or the like,'receiving motion from some moving part of the engine or machine to be lubricated, which in many cases, particularly in marine engines, for which the present in- Vention is particularly adapted, present great practical difficulties, we operate the mechanism automatically by means of a piston-rod and piston working in an auxiliary cylinder, which cylinder is connected by piping directly with the main or working cylinder of the engine, the arrangement being such that thepiston of the auxiliary cylinder is under the same influences- 5. 6., the fluid-pressure and vacuumand at the same times as the piston of the main cylinder, and therefore the auxiliary piston, reciprocates in synchronism with the main piston.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example some methods of carrying this invention into practice, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of a lubricator embodying this invention. Fig. 2is a view in end elevation thereof; and Fig. 3 is a broken view in plan, partly in section, showing more particularly the operative reducing-gear.

Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like characters of reference.

In carrying our invention into practice we will first describe it in combination with the type of lubricator described and shown in Figs. 1 to 23 of the drawings attached to the ent No. 604,132, which lubricator we assume to be connected by suitable pipes and moving joints or conduits to the main bearings, crosshead and crank-pin bearings, and guide-slipper or guide-bearing surfaces, or any selected number of them or other of the engine bearing-surfaces in order to conduct the lubricant from the lubricator to such bearings or bearing-surfaces, and as the connections hitherto hereinbefore-mentioned specification of Patemployed as the medium for operating the lubricator are dispensed with we substitute for Y the ratchet-lever a suitable spur wheel or quadrant working on or with the ratchet-motion spindle of the specification aforesaid and in such relation to the ratchet-wheel as to carry the pawl or pawls contactingtherewith, by-

which the ratchetwheelor its spindle is operated, the said spur-wheel or quadrant gearing with a suitable rack, as hereinafter mentioned.

The lubricantcylinder A is arranged in combination with an auxiliary cylinder of suitable dimensions, hereinafter called the power-cylinder a, so that the longitudinal center lines of the two cylinders are preferably parallel to each other. This power-cylinder (618 provided with a piston b and piston-rod 0, attached centrally thereto, the saidrod being of sufiicient length to extend through and beyond a cover formed with or arranged on the end (hereinafter called the forward end) of the power-cylinder, such cover being provided with a suitable bearing or gland cl, through which the piston-rod c reciprocates and takes its bearing. The piston-rod cextends a suflicient distance beyond the forward end of the power-cylinder so as to admit of an extensionpiece a, connected thereto, formed with a suitable rack e gearing or meshing with the spurwheel or quadrant f, aforesaid. The said extension-piecee is supported by a guide or bearing g and is connected with the piston-rod 0 by a threaded sleeve-nut IL, engaging the left and right hand threads formed, respectively, on the ends of the piston-rod and the said extension, a lock-nut 601' its equivalent being provided for locking the parts together after the required adjustment has been made in order to bring the piston 6 and the spur-wheel or quadrant f into proper working relation with each other. Instead of imparting motion from the piston by means of a rack and pinion, as above de scribed, any other mechanism for attaining the same end may be employed. The other or rear end of the power-cylinder a is arranged with a suitable cover 7', having an aperture open to a pipe is, connected with the cover by a union Z, the said pipe k extending to the steam or main cylinder of the engine, with which it is connected, so as to bring the powercylinder a into such relation with the said steam-cylinder as to insure the power-cylinder piston I) being under the influence of the steam or other fluid-pressure in the enginecylinder or of the vacuum occurring therein, so that the piston 6, operating with a condensing-engine, would be driven forward when the steam was acting on the engine-piston and drawn back on the occurrence of the vacuum in the engine-cylinder. This alternate or reciprocating action of the piston 6 would be communicated to the spur-wheel or quadrant f through the medium of the piston-rod c and rack e. The spur-wheel or quadrant f carries the pawl m, and the pawl m is carried by the bracket G, the pawls being arranged in such relation to the ratchet-wheel a, mounted on the spindle L, that the forward stroke of the piston b will impart the necessary motion through the .rack a, piston rod 0, and quadrant f to the spindleL, which is mounted in suitable hearings on the cylinder A and bracket G, and so operate a bevel-wheel V, carried on said spindle. The bevel-wheel V is so arranged as to mesh with another bevelwheel, W, (see particularly Fig. 3,) the axle on spindles 1 2 3 1" 5, supported at one end in suitable hearings on the end plate 1 of the cylinder A, while the other ends of said spindles are. supported in bearings arranged onthe bearing-plate Q, connected with and separated by a space from the face of the end plate P, the arrangement being such that the said train of wheels works between the two plates P and Q, while their spindles project a sufiicicnt distance beyond the plate Q, to carry other fixed pinions 1", 2", 3", 4, and 5. The wheel-train 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, t, 5, and 5 is so arranged as to place the pinions 1, 2, 3", 4, and 5" into proper working relation with two spur-wheels 6 7, carried by a carriage G, connected with an index-wheel H, so as to admit of its being rotated by the operation of the said index-wheel, whereby one or the other of the two spur-wheels 6 7 are moved into gear with any one of the pinions 1" 2" 3 4t 5, according to the relations each of the spur-wheels bear to the index figured on the index-w heel. The spu r-wheel 6 carries a fixed pinion 8, adapted to mesh with an internallygeared main wheel J, connected to the pistonscrew E in the manner described in our aforesaid specification, line 79, page 1, to line 6, page 2. The index of the index-wheel H is so set out (see Fig. 2) as to insure the spurwheel 6 and pinion 8 being moved and set into gear only with the first, 1, third, 3, or fifth, 5, of the pinions, respectively, and the other spur-wheel, 7, being moved and set into gear with the second, 2, or thefourth, 4;", of the said pinions, whereby the alternate opposite motions and variable speeds of the train impart a continuous rotary motion in one direction only to the main wheel J. The index-wheel H is locked in position after adjustment by means of a catch T, hinged to the end plate 1), being set into one of a series of notches it, formed in the periphery of the wheel ll. lt will be seen that by forming the operative mechanism as above described the end plate p of the cylinder, together with the train of wheels, may be withdrawn from the cylinder without disturbing or disconnecting the automatic actuating mechanism.

The screw E and nut device I), by which the piston B of the lubricator is impelled and the lubricant forced to the hearings or bearingssurfaces, is as described in the aforesaid specification No. 604,132. The backward or return stroke of the piston 7) causes the pawl m to slip over the ratchet-wheel '21, so as to again contact with one of its teeth and impart the necessary motion to the spindle L on the return or forward stroke of the piston 11, and so on, while the engine is in operation. If

deemed desirable, the power-cylinder maybe similarly connected with the air-pump cylinder or other parts of the engine that may be suitable for its operation, as hereinbefore mentioned.

The action of the power-cylinder piston b iscontrolled or its travel regulated by admission of air into the cylinder through asuitable aperture in its forward end, regulated by theadjustment of a cock 0, reducing the aperture so as to oppose the suction of the piston and retard its backward progress with elastic resistance by regulating the suction of air into the cylinder consequent on the pistons'backward stroke and also to cushion the return or forward stroke by the opposition offered by the aforesaid reduced aperture to the 1 expulsion of the air from the cylinder by the forcing action of the forward movement of the piston. I

The connection and arrangements above described may be so adapted or varied as to admit the power-cylinder piston being operated aperture and gland D in the end of the cylinder, through which the said hollow pistonrod works or travels, on the center line of or centrally with the piston and lubricant-containing cylinder A, as described and shown in the hereinbefore-mentioned specification, we arrange the said piston-screw E, piston-rod D, aperture, and gland D in such manner and at such a distance from the center or center line i are regulated and operated. This arrange-- of the piston and cylinderas to oppose the tendency of the piston to rotate when under the action of the screw, atthe same time adaptingto such arrangement the mechanism and parts by whichpiston-screw and piston ment of diverting the piston-screw or operating piston-rod from the center of thepiston and cylinder in which it is contained may be adapted to the piston and cylinder and varying mechanism of other similar forms of lubricators.

In the present construction of lubricator we substitute cocks or valves for the outlet ballvalves described in the prior specification, and in order to avoid disturbing the adjustment of the various cocks or Valves so connected with the outlet-passages of the lubricant-containin g cylinder and the pipes conducting the lubricant therefrom we form the said cylinder with an auxiliary chamber P, provided with outletpassages 19, to which the cocks or valves and conducting-pipes are connected, instead of connecting them directly with the cylinder end. The chamber P communicates with the cylinder by a passage q, through which.the lubricant is forced by the action of the piston in the lubricant-cylinder A in such a manner as to keep the said chamber charged with lubricant, so as to feed or supply the various outlets with the lubricant under pressure. The passage 9 is arranged with a three-way cockplug R, so that when the plug U, closing the upper end of the passage q, is removed and the filling-tube is applied thereto and the threeway cock It turned so that two of its passages form an open passage from the filling-tubeto the cylinder A, through which the lubricantis drawn into the cylinder,as described and shown in the aforementioned specification, the passage 7, leading to the chamber P, is closed, so as to prevent the suction of the returning piston drawing the lubricant from the chamber P and the outlet cocks and pipes connected therewith. When the lubricator is charged, the

operation of closing the fill-opening g by turning the cock R again opens the passage between the chamber P and cylinder A and admits of the advancing piston charging the said chamber 1 'The passage 9 may be ar' ranged with a valve operating so as to open under the pressure of the lubricant and admit of its passage into the chamber P under pressure ofthe advancing piston and close by the suction of the said piston when it is worked back for recharging the cylinder with lubri cant, thus avoiding the necessity for closing and re-regulating cocks,as before. To prevent the lubricant being drained from the outletpipes by the suction aforesaid, asuitable valve operated by hand may be substituted for the aforesaid automatic valve.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is---- 1 In a lubricator in which the lubricant is contained within a cylinder and forced through feed-pipes to the parts to be lubricated by means of a piston, the combination with the said piston and cylinder of a hollow pistonrod arranged eccentrically with respect tosaid piston and cylinder, a feed-screw threaded into said hollow piston-rod, and means for rotating said screw.

' 2. In a lubricator in which the lubricant is contained within a cylinder and forced through feed-pipes to the parts to be lubricated by means of a piston, the combination with said piston and cylinder of a hollow piston-rod arcontained within a cylinder and forced throughfeed-pipes to the parts to belubricated by &

means of a piston, the combination with said piston and cylinder of a hollow piston-rod arranged eccentrically to said piston and cylinder, a feed-screw threaded into said hollow piston-rod and extending out through the back end of said cylinder; an auxiliary cylinder in communication with the cylinder of the engine, a piston working in said cylinder, means for admitting air into forward end of the auxiliary cylinder for controlling and regulating the travel of said piston in said cylinder, mechanism including reducing-gear for transmitting motion of said auxiliary piston to said feed-screw, and means for withdrawing said reducing-gear from the cylinder without disturbing the remainder of said mechanism.

4. In a lubricator in which the lubricant is contained within a cylinder and forced through feed-pipes to the parts to be lubricated by means of a piston, the combination with the lubricant-containing cylinder, an eccentricallyarranged piston rod and feed screw mounted therein of a chamber forming an extension of said cylinder and provided with outlets for the lubricant, a passage between said cylinder and said chamber, a filling-tube leading into said passage, a three-way cock in said passage whereby the cylinder can be put into communication with either said chamber or said filling-tube, as set forth.

5. A lubricator comprising a lubricant-containing cylinder,a chamber provided with outlets for the lubricant, there being a passage between said cylinder and chamber, a fillingtube leading into said passage, a three-way cock in said passage whereby said cylinder can be put into communication either with hollow piston-rod, an auxiliary cylinder in communication with the cylinder of the engine, a piston located in said auxiliary cylinder, means for admitting air to said cylinder for controlling and regulating the travel of the piston in said cylinder, mechanism for transmitting motion of auxiliary piston to said feed-screw, and means for rotating said feed-screw without disturbing the remainder of said mechanism.

6. A lubricator comprising a lubricant-containing cylinder, a chamber provided with outlets for the lubricant, there being a passage between said cylinder and chamber, a fillingtube leading into said passage, a three-way cock in said passage whereby said cylinder can be put into communication either with said chamber or with said filling-tube, a piston located in said cylinder a hollow pistonrod arranged eceentrically with respect to said piston, a feed-screw threaded into said hollow piston, an auxiliary cylinder in communication with the cylinder of the engine, a piston located in said auxiliary cylinder, means for admitting air to said cylinder for controlling and regulating travel of said piston in said cylinder, mechanism for transmitting motion of piston of auxiliary cylinder to said feed-screw, reducing-gear interposed between said mechanism and said feed screw, and means for withdrawing said reducing-gear without disturbing the remainder of the mechanism.

Signed at London, England, this 21st day of May, 1902.

WIL'hlAlll HENRY THOMPSON. ROBERT THOMPSON.

WVitnesses:

HEDLEY.J. HARRor, A. MInLwARD FLACK. 

